SHIELD Siblings
by fezwearingjellybananas
Summary: Skye doesn't have a family. Or maybe she does. But it might take an Avenger to show her that (and possibly adopt her along the way).


Clint Barton was trudging through goodness knows where, covered in goodness knows what, really wishing HYDRA had stuck to their flipping shadows.

A rustling came from behind and Clint saw the end of a gun.

Oh, he was having such a good week, wasn't he?

"Can I just have a break before you start shooting at me again please? I know there's probably some rule against asking for a quick breather, but I'm kind of a little stuck at the moment."

"Clint?"

"Bobbi? What are you doing here? I mean, I'm glad you're alive, but what are you doing here?"

"Working for SHIELD, we've got a base."

"Please tell me it has a shower."

"What is that stuff?"

"I haven't got a clue. I think it's mud, it could be tar. I don't know. I fell in it."

"Well, you would."

"In fairness, I was pushed."

"You're such a threat to HYDRA, aren't you."

"Yep. You should have seen how many there were at New York, Bobbi. It was five on one. We lost a lot of good agents that day."

"I know. Come and get clean. How did you know where to find us?"

"SHIELD is physically incapable of staying out the news it seems. Really bad for a secret organisation by the way. I knew you were somewhere. So I came looking."

"Yeah, but I would have thought you would be with Nat."

"She's doing some stuff. All her history just appeared on the net, she's going to make new covers. You know how she is. And look at you, brown."

"I was undercover at HYDRA. And Hunter made the same point."

"Hunter's here? Great, he owes me a beer. But you and him?"

"Will you stop smirking?"

"Nope. So you two a thing again yet?"

"No!"

"Give it a few weeks."

"Clint. Why would you even think that?"

"Because I know the two of you. You're hot, he's Hunter, he still cares about you, you still care about him, he's less hot but got a cute accent I guess, or was that not what you said when Nat and I found you utterly smashed after you filed the divorce papers."

"I hate you so much."

"Love you too, Babs."

"Coulson's inside, I guess we'll have to tell him you're here."

"Coulson?"

"New Director."

"Nice. I always thought that would go to Hill."

"We all did. But she's working for Stark."

"She'll be back, she's Maria Hill."

"You stink."

"I know. I don't know how I'm going to get this off."

"Mack's probably got some industrial strength bleach, we can scrub you."

"Well, I'm stuck to my clothes anyway. Won't hurt to utterly destroy them. I guess you haven't seen my secret stash."

"I crashed at your place for a bit, picked one up in case you showed."

"I really do love you so much sometimes, Bobbi. Don't tell Hunter."

"Why am I friends with you?"

* * *

It took half an hour and three bottles of shower gel before Clint emerged, clean (ish) and refreshed. He laughed at the t-shirt Bobbi had picked out. One of the purple roundel ones Nat and her had bought after the Battle of New York as a joke. He pulled on a pair of jeans and went to find Coulson.

"Hey Phil."

"Barton, get your feet off my desk and put some shoes on."

"Good to see you too. Also, I don't have shoes."

"Bobbi didn't pick up shoes?"

"In all honesty Phil, I wasn't even expecting to a shirt."

"And then what would you have done, wandered through SHIELD naked again until you found Mack and borrowed his?"

"Probably. I mean, basically everyone's seen me do far worse."

"My agents haven't."

"Oh yeah, you've got a young team, haven't you? The random chick you picked up, two geniuses and Captain America's ex's grandson. Also May, but she's not exactly what I would call- old, just experienced, hey May, long time no see."

"Barton. You being rude again?"

"No."

"Clearly not. Please don't tell me you're introducing him to Skye."

"Skye? She the random chick? Oh please, Coulson, I can be a good influence."

"You wouldn't know a good influence if it hit you in the face with a brick."

"I mean well. Except that time, but he deserved it, he was being rude to Nat."

"I guess you're going to find Nat after all this?" Coulson asked.

"Probably. I need to meet this Sam guy, he can join the bird club with Bobbi and me."

"You'll be taking a kid under your wing soon enough. Just don't teach them any of the illegal stuff."

"Oh, but Coulson, that's the fun bit."

"Are you going to find shoes?"

"Nah, I'll steal Hunter's later. Where is our sarcastic Brit?"

"Last I saw he was down with Mack in the lab."

"Mack's here too? I can steal his shoes, they might actually fit me."

"Downstairs, we'll show you the way."

* * *

"Look what the cat dragged in."

"Should have seen him earlier, you could barely tell he was human he was so filthy."

"Mack, great to see you again buddy. Hunter, you owe me a beer."

"Would this be an actual beer or one of your American knockoffs?"

"Whichever, you owe me one. Good to see you. So you and Bobbi a thing again yet?"

"Piss off, Barton."

"They do this all the time," Mack said to the other man who was standing there. "It's their thing. They love each other really. Clint just has a talent for winding people up. And he and Bobbi used to date way back when, Hunter's just jealous."

"I am not! Besides, I married her."

"I thought you said you regretted that? Anyway, still got that spark, don't we Babs?"

"Of course."

"They used to?"

"And stayed friends."

"We're both birds," Clint said. "Clint Barton. Hawkeye."

"Leo Fitz. Fitz."

"You're Agent Fitz? Wow. Heard a lot about you."

"You, you-"

"Loads. You're like a SHIELD legend. Also Nat says thanks for the Mouse Hole."

"Clint, no one knows who Nat is," Mack said.

"Oh right. Black Widow. Fury used it to not die, then Maria Hill used one to bust Captain America, Falcon and Black Widow out of a HYDRA thing. Yeah. You're great. Saved Captain America's life." Fitz didn't move. "Also, you're not on Hunter's side about the beer are you?"

"Clint, I think you broke him," Bobbi said. "Slow remember? Not everyone has Captain America as their Saturday night drinking buddy."

"I don't. I have a job. I'm never free Saturday nights, it's Nat who's been doing stuff with him, I've been keeping an eye on Stark and Banner and SHIELD. I'm not free Saturdays."

"Fitz?"

"And that's Simmons," Mack said as the English woman entered the room.

"Oh, sorry. I'll-"

"Jemma. My invention saved Captain America's life."

"Fitz, your inventions save lots of lives. Your invention saved my life."

"Captain America."

"And Black Widow, Falcon, Maria Hill and Nick Fury," Clint added. "Hi."

"Who-"

"Hawkeye, Simmons. He's, erm, erm, yeah."

"Oh wow. Wait, do you all know each other?"

"Hunter owes me a beer."

"Will you shut up about that?"

"What did you even do?" Bobbi asked.

"Oh, it was a bet. I won. So Hunter owes me a beer."

"Well, you haven't won yet."

"I think I have."

"Fine, I'll buy you a pint, happy now?"

"Yep."

"What were you betting over now?" Mack asked.

"I said he would join SHIELD. I win. He owes me a beer."

"You two are such losers, I don't know what Bobbi saw in either of you."

"I know what she saw in Hunter."

"Clint Barton, if you dare-"

"Just a little blackmail for later then."

"So, you just need to meet Trip and Skye?" Mack asked.

"Yeah, Coulson's going to introduce me when they get back."

"You'll like Skye."

"May already told me I wasn't allowed to be an influence on her. Apparently I wouldn't know a good influence if it hit me in the face with a brick."

"Would you?"

"Well, I tend to remember the bricks which have hit me in the face. And then Coulson made a bird pun."

"Coulson makes puns?" Simmons asked.

"Clint just gives off waves off pun energy," Bobbi said. "Give it five days, everyone will be making bird puns. Quite a lot of time at his expense."

"It's all right, you can make them at Bobbi too, I mean she's called Mockingbird, I think that means we can mock her."

"Nah, it means she's a mocking bird," Hunter said. "As in she's a bird who will mock you."

"There they are," Coulson said. "Clint, Antoine Triplett."

"You're Sharon's cousin. Watch out, Nat's trying to set Steve up with her."

"I don't want to know."

"Fair enough, but if my cousin was looking at her great aunt's ex in certain ways, I would want to at least be warned. Especially when said great aunt is my grandmother."

"What Sharon does is Sharon's business. And biologically he's about the same age. It's just literally he's over ninety. And he seems nice, or he did when I went to see Sharon while she was undercover as his neighbour. "

"Steve?" Simmons asked.

"Captain America," Trip said.

"I saved his life!"

"We know Fitz," Mack said. "I'm sure everyone is very proud of you."

"And this is Skye," Coulson said. "Don't do anything stupid."

"I never do anything stupid Phil, what are you talking about?"

"What about that time you walked through SHIELD naked because someone stole your clothes?"

"All right, was that you or Nat, Bobbi, because I'm pretty sure it was one of you."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Both of them," Hunter said. "That means both of them."

"You're Hawkeye?" Skye asked. "Oh wow. Haw- wow."

"Ha, Bobbi, look, I get wows."

"You only happened to be there, if I hadn't been off with that thing over there I would have been there in a flash."

"Hey!" Hunter protested.

"Ignore them," Coulson said. "They always get like this when they're together. Just wait until you see them with Natasha. I'm surprised HYDRA didn't use the chaos they caused last time as their distraction to reveal themselves. What was it Mack? Three days suspension for Clint and only because he had a mission to do?"

"I think it was. And then Hunter got away with it because he didn't work for SHIELD."

"It actually wasn't my fault that time, I had no intention of getting Natasha and Bobbi drunk, I just kept passing them alcohol."

"And then they stole a SHIELD jet and went for a joyride. I seem to remember they got SHIELD's second best pilot for it."

"Counting Melinda as best, yeah. Did you know, the Arctic Ocean is freezing."

"Funny that," May said. "You'd think if it was that cold it would be covered in ice."

"Yeah. Don't go skinny dipping in it. Even Nat admitted it was cold and she's Russian."

"Coulson, can I sit in next time they go and get drunk?" Skye asked.

"No."

"Please?"

"As far as I'm concerned, they are never allowed to get drunk again together. Last time Clint almost got eaten by a polar bear. And he loses his clothes a lot, it's getting ridiculous. It's like he deliberately loses them."

"No, Bobbi and Natasha keep stealing them. Do you see, she nicked my jacket to go undercover with Steve."

"Clint, put some shoes on."

"Oh yeah. Mack, do you have a spare pair of shoes?"

* * *

Skye found Hawkeye downstairs later in the range. She watched, fascinated, as his arrows all struck the targets without him moving a millimetre.

"Hey," he said, putting down the bow. "Skye. Nice name. Coulson didn't mention a second one."

"Oh no, I'm er, I don't have one."

"My parents died when I was a kid. Growing up in care sucks. That's why my brother and I ran away to the circus."

"Is that where you learnt to shoot?"

"Yep. Started to anyway. What about you? Why'd you join SHIELD?"

"I hacked my way in. Kind of. I was part of the Rising Tide. Never been to the Academy or anything like that."

"Neither have I. Nick Fury picked me up one day when my bow was being pointed at his mission. You're not the only one who sometimes feel like you cheated your way in. But you know what? Coulson's a good man, he wouldn't have let you anywhere near his team unless he saw something good in you. You have just as much right to be here as anyone else, more so because you're not HYDRA and you're a good person. May's your S.O.?"

"Yes."

"Bet she hasn't taught you how to use a bow. Just let me grab the arrows." He vaulted over the barrier and pulled them all out of the targets and put them back the quiver he had balanced on the floor. "Feet shoulder's width apart. Either side of the line. Breathe. Relax. Nock the arrow. Cock fletching goes up, like this. Lift your arm, breathe in and draw at the same time. Thumb under your chin, inside at short distance, so three fingers below the arrow and loose." His arrow struck the middle of the target. "Your go."

It was ages before Skye even hit the thing, but she didn't mind. Clint- he's insisted on Clint- was really nice and she was having a laugh.

Coulson walked in.

"Just finish that end, I'll see what he wants."

"Hi Clint."

"Hi Phil. Can I keep her?"

"No. She's my agent, you can't keep her."

"Right so you've already staked dad claims."

"She has a father out there. He just happens to not be a good guy."

"Yeah, so you're stepping up to dad claims."

"Please don't corrupt my agents I am having no more one in the morning phone calls asking if you can be bailed out."

"Hey that was one time."

"Yeah, because usually it's three in the morning."

"No, because usually we phone Fury."

"How long are you sticking around for?"

"Couple of weeks? I need to find Nat, but you still haven't made archery essential, so I'm teaching the kid that first."

"How is Natasha?"

"Last I saw pretty shocked. Everything's kind of gone from under her. She's got to face her past and we both know how much she hates the idea of that. She just needs time, that's what she said. But if Bobbi's here, I'll make sure she drops by. And Captain America has your cards, want them back?"

"Captain America has my trading cards?"

"Yeah, they were a bit bloody when he got handed them, but they've been cleaned up best they could and signed."

"Why was there blood?"

"Because they were in your suit jacket."

"They were not."

"All right, Fury put them in your suit jacket. Either way, they all think you're dead, it's only because Nat and I are Level Seven we know."

"He ruined my cards."

"We cleaned them. Tony Stark cleaned them. He cried, Phil, you made Tony Stark cry."

"What?"

"You. Dead. Tony Stark. In tears. Unless that was more shock, but I'm pretty sure he shed a tear for you. He cares about people a lot more than he lets on."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Also Captain America was at your funeral. All the Avengers were. Even Thor dropped by. He couldn't stay, something to with repairing the Nine Realms or something, but he left some weird smelling flowers."

"Okay. That's, erm, wow."

"What did you want Skye for?"

"Nothing, I just came to see what was going on. No corrupting my agent, Barton."

"No sir."

* * *

"Hey Skye?"

"Yes?"

"I have a question."

"What?"

"You ever think about a surname?"

"You can only have one if you've got a family."

"You've got a tough call then."

"Why?"

"Well, do you pick Coulson, May, Fitz, Simmons, Hunter, Mackenzie, Triplett, Morse or Barton? Family's not always the people you were born related to Skye. Have you never watched a Disney film? You can choose your own family. Honestly women, go and watch Lilo and Stitch."

"Wouldn't you have been like, fifty when that came out?"

"Oh ha ha, no, thirties maybe."

"You watched Lilo and Stitch as a thirty year old man?"

"Nat made me."

"Really. Are you sure because it sounds like you enjoyed it."

"Shush. Go and ask May about Mulan, you'll get a story out of that one. Or she'll beat me up. Say Hunter told you to ask."

"Are you and he-"

"We're mates as he would say. He just happens to have married my ex-girlfriend, but you know, no biggy, Bobbi and I were a mutual split and you should have seen the look in her eyes when she saw him. Seriously, they were so in love, it was disgustingly beautiful. So when I wind him up it is nothing but affection."

"That doesn't really make sense."

"I believe it's a trait all younger siblings share, the incredible ability to wind people up. Which means you kind of have to develop it."

"Why?"

"Er, because you're younger than me, duh."

"I don't understand."

"Coulson told me about your dad, he sounds kind of crap, do you want a big brother instead?"

"You mean it?"

"No, I'm just winding you up, course I mean it. Coulson told me I wasn't allowed to adopt you, I think he claimed dad rights, so big brother will have to do."

"Seriously?"

"Not if you keep questioning me."

"Oi, you two," Hunter said, sticking his head through the door. "Coulson wants to see you."

"I think his superior dad senses are tingling. I'm trying to steal away his daughter."

"Or it could be a mission," Hunter suggested. "You know, like they tend to give out to spies. I wouldn't expect an outdated Yank like you to understand. Leave it to the people who know what they're doing."

"Yeah, well, you can go and chew on your limes, Limey."

"Least I won't get scurvy."

"You two bicker like three year olds."

"There is a three in my age."

"Yep, there's at least three, three hundred and thirty three, wasn't that it? So how was Queen Victoria, the two of you get on well?"

"Barton, I'm going to borrow one of Bobbi's Staves and shove it-"

"Okay, that's enough," Skye said. "Hunter, where's Coulson?"

"Upstairs. Hey Clint?"

"Yeah?"

"You're a pain in the arse you bloody Yank."

"I know."

"I miss Nat. She'd have hit you around the head by now."

"Skye's gone."

"Great. So, pub later?"

"Only got bars, sorry Lance."

"Yeah, I know, pub later? Come on, piece of cake to start up the Quinjet and just fly to Scotland, haven't been to a nice Scottish joint in a while. Reckon Fitz would be up for that?"

"Coulson's going to kill us. I'm in. You're only saying Scotland for Fitz, aren't you?"

"How dare you Clint, I'm a cold hearted mercenary, I don't have feelings."

"Really, because I thought you were a SHIELD agent. Drinks are on you, right?"

"Only one pint, but you shouldn't drink and fly anyway."

"Are you two coming?" Skye asked, her head sticking back around the corner. "Or do I need to tell Coulson the two of you are planning a romantic getaway to Scotland for the evening?"

"No, we are defiantly coming," Clint said. "She's good."

"Now you've done it. There's another one. What's she going to be Bluebird?"

"Don't know, you're the Hunter who knows all the species."

"She'll think of something. But we should run to Coulson's office before she tells him."

"Agreed."

* * *

Clint and Hunter were sitting there smugly when Skye opened the door. Quite how there got there so quickly she wasn't sure, but she was fairly sure it was something to do with the open vent near the ceiling.

"Ah Skye, there you are. Mission. You, May, Trip and Hunter. Clint, you're too well known, after New York and then HYDRA, I would be surprised if there was a person around who didn't know your face."

"Fair enough. I'll sit back here then."

"Skye, you'll go in…"

* * *

Skye felt a little exposed, walking into the room. She knew Trip and Hunter were watching, she knew May was waiting outside, but it was still the first time she's been in alone.

The guy was jabbering on, mostly about HYDRA.

"But you would know all about that, wouldn't you? Because you're SHIELD."

"What me? All right, you caught me. Hand over the file."

"What are you going to do, shoot me?"

Skye pulled out her gun and pointed it at him.

"I could."

"Have you even got the guts to pull the trigger little girl?"

She shot him.

"Normally with ICERS, yeah. And it's not little girl. It's Agent Skye Barton. With SHIELD."

May came in to congratulate her and they flew back to base, some complaining from Coulson about Clint, whatever he was doing.

* * *

"Skye, please never do that to me again."

"What?"

"Use Clint's surname when he can hear you."

"Was he cross? Is that why he's not here?"

"No, he couldn't be more proud. And excited. That was probably the problem."

"Sorry," a new voice came from the doorway. "I had to calm him down. It wasn't very easy. I think he knocked himself out. Hey Hunter."

"Natasha. You look as lovely as ever."

"So I hear you and Bobbi are back together."

"Remind me to punch Clint in the face later."

"I think he's got that handled himself. Agent May."

"Agent Romanoff. Please don't do anything."

"Me? I wouldn't dream of it. I even brought clean clothes for him, so this time I'm giving them to him. I mean, it is the stash Bobbi and I had at the Triskelion that we'd stolen before, but they're his clothes. Sharon's cousin."

"Trip. Apparently you've been trying to set Captain America up with Sharon?"

"I've been trying to set Steve up with everyone, it's him that took the most interest in Sharon."

"Natasha- Oh my gosh, you're the Black Widow."

"And you must be Skye. Clint's told me a lot about you. Then he knocked himself out."

"I did not Nat, I hit my head and _someone _told me I had to go and see Simmons to make sure I didn't have a concussion. Ow. Oh, you're back. Skye, come here you little ball of alien stuff."

"Don't do things by halves, do you, Clinton. Finally get yourself a sister and she might not even be human. She'll fit right it with you lot."

"You're mean, Tasha."

"And you're an idiot, we fit together perfectly."

"And I say, this calls for a drink," Hunter said. "Nat?"

"Er, no," Coulson said. "The four of you are here. No. Never again."

"Oh, Coulson, Steve might drop by in three days. He's bringing your cards. Unless this lead gets him anywhere closer to finding Bucky."

"Natasha."

"He's Captain America, yeah, he's defiantly HYDRA. He doesn't know you're alive, thought you would like to drop that little bombshell. He just thinks your family's here, which it must be if May's here. So, Skye, you and I need to become properly acquainted, can't go leaving you with Barton for a brother, you need a feminine touch to your life."

Skye found herself spending the rest of the day getting to know the Black Widow.

* * *

"Hey, Skye, you coming?"

"Clint?"

"Yep."

"It's three in the morning."

"Yeah, we need to sneak out before May or Coulson catches us."

"Are you drunk?"

"Not yet. We're taking Fitz for a little Scotland visit."

"I get to see you drunk?"

"Only if you can persuade Trip to be designated pilot."

"Let me get my phone, I need a camera."

* * *

"Where are you?"

Skye woke to Coulson's voice coming over the speakers.

"Mid Atlantic," Clint replied. Don't worry, we're on our way, never set Nat and Fitz up on a drinking completion, sorry, I think we bankrupted SHIELD."

"Have you got everyone?"

"Yeah, Simmons stayed sober with me, we got everyone back. We counted and everything. Everyone is here, everyone is dressed, Skye has pictures and I think Hunter got punched in the face which actually wasn't me, I can't take credit for that, but yes."

"Well, you're fired. Again."

'It was Hunter's idea."

"At least I can suspend him this time."

"How come he only gets suspended?"

"Because I don't have very many people at SHIELD, I need him."

"What about me?"

"Fine, you're rehired."

"Nah, I'm good. Not much use to you as a spy if everyone knows what I look like."

"You're a pretty good archery teacher though," Skye said.

"Oh good, you're up. Can you check on the others? Make sure they're all vaguely in one shape. I'm pretty sure Fitz is now at least fifty percent alcohol. That boy can drink."

"Who won?"

"Er, I think it was Nat. Probably Nat. I don't know. There's aspirin somewhere if you ask Simmons, only hangover cure I know."

"Do you normally take it in turns to be the sober one?"

"Er, no, it's usually me. My, er, my father was an alcoholic, so I try and avoid getting drunk too much. Don't want to turn into him."

"You won't, you're lovely."

"Well, thanks Skye, but I'm an assassin."

"And a superhero."

At that she left and Clint realised Coulson was still listening.

"You don't tell many people about your past. You really have bonded."

"Yeah. But if Nat's here, we won't be sticking around much longer."

"I know."

* * *

It was a week before Clint and Natasha had to leave. Something- sorry Skye, top secret, can't tell you that- was happening in- no, can't tell you that either, still secret- that they had to go and- you don't really get this top secret mission thing, do you?

Skye was a bit too busy after that to really have time to miss him, but she realised she did fairly quickly. But she wasn't alone, everyone else was still there.

It was only when Christmas approached she felt a little left out. Simmons was going to visit her family, Fitz was going to see his mum, Trip's family was huge, goodness knows how many people were going to be there, but he mentioned something about his grandmother being there for a little bit and Steve, (Which was awesome Trip, how many people got to say Captain America was having Christmas dinner with them?)

Even May had a mother, Coulson was going with May (make of that what you will), and Mack, Bobbi and Hunter were staying behind to keep their eyes on things.

She was asleep when the hands shook her awake.

"Simmons, it's the middle of the night what-"

"Excuse me, why aren't you packed? You need at least a toothbrush, Ms Skye, you're not borrowing mine, Clint already did that, I had to buy a new one."

"Nat?"

"Come on, hop to it. Don't worry about smart clothes, it's Clint and Barney. And apparently you need boots."

"I don't have boots."

"Fine, just shove some clothes on, we'll have a girly day shopping and buy you boots. Chop chop, you're wasting time."

"What's going on?"

"I've been told we can't start Barton family Christmas until all the Bartons are there because _someone _adopted another one. So Clint's dropping by tomorrow to pick you up, but you and me are having a girly day first and then we'll surprise him tonight."

"I don't understand."

"You me. Sisterly bonding. Or do you just want to end up with Clint and Barney for the rest of your life? Come on, I've cleared it with Coulson."

"Seriously?"

"Yes. Are you coming or not? Because Mack has covered the place in mistletoe and camera, unless you want to spend Christmas avoiding Bobbi and Hunter making out, I'd get some shoes on at least."

* * *

A red haired man answered the door when Natasha knocked, Skye looking around at the farm.

"Hi Natasha."

"Hi Barney. This is Skye."

"The Skye?"

"Yeah."

"Hi. Barney Barton. Apparently I'm your big brother. Please don't cause as much trouble as Clint."

"She works for SHIELD."

"Damn. Come in. Clint's, I've got no idea where Clint is. Probably picking vegetables or something."

"This is yours?" Skye asked.

"Yep. Grew up here we did. Try not to come back too often, but Nat blew all Clint's covers, he hasn't had a chance to get a new place yet."

"What about you?"

"Undercover. FBI."

"You're both spies?"

"Must be a Barton thing. You need to ditch SHIELD and go either FBI or CIA to make it fair. You'll be ganging up on me with SHIELD next thing I know."

"I wouldn't do that."

"I would."

"Clint!"

"Hey baby sis. Look, Barn, I found a baby sis. She's an alien and a genius hacker, isn't she great?"

"Very great Clint. You weren't supposed to find out tomorrow."

"My Skye senses were tingling, they detected an alien presence. Come on, I'll show you round. You brought boots, right?"

"Clint, it's getting late," Natasha said. "Wouldn't it be easier to show her around before milking tomorrow?"

"If Nat's face is anything to go by, I don't want to know how early that is," Skye said.

"She's taken over big sister role?"

"Yep."

"Good luck. They're the ones who cause problems."

"No, middle siblings are the ones who cause problems," Barney said. "And the youngest. Which means I now have to put up with three of you. And all SHIELD."

"You'll just have to quit and join us, Barn."

"In your dreams."

"Come on, we've got like six employees."

"There's more than that," Skye said. "Coulson, May, Fitz, Simmons, Trip, Bobbi, Hunter, Mack, Clint, Natasha and me. That's eleven and there's more."

"Such a vast and powerful organisation," Barney said. "Think I'll stick to the FBI for now. Skye, most people milk at four. And we don't have cows. Farming's a twenty four seven job, we don't have time. There's some vegetables out back, we could get it up and running again but we only really hang onto the house as a safe house and rent out the land."

"Oh."

"Seeing as these two are planning goodness knows what, I can give you a brief tour."

"We'll all go," Clint said. "There's not a lot to see."

* * *

There might not have been a lot, but Skye loved it. It may have been battered and worn out, but it almost felt like home.

Clint cooked the next day. Skye offered to help, but he seemed to have it sorted. Just some chopping vegetables maybe. Whereas Natasha was not even allowed to touch the peeler for the carrots.

"She's a terrible cook."

"I am not, you're possessive in the kitchen."

"Nat, you burnt spaghetti."

"She burnt an omelette. At least, is was meant to be an omelette, it turned a little more scrambled than omelettey."

"No, Nat's right, he's possessive in the kitchen," Barney said. "He set the oven on fire once. But he's an all right cook. Aside from kitchen appliances catching fire. You probably won't get food poisoning."

Food poisoning was the last thing on Skye's mind once they started eating. It was actually really good.

Barney wouldn't admit that, he was picking holes in everything.

Skye suspected that was more to do with him winding up Clint than actually disliking it.

"That was the best Christmas dinner I've ever had," Skye declared at the end.

"Yeah, but you've never had a proper home cooked one," Barney said. "Doesn't count."

"You do this every year," Clint said.

"And every year I find less and less to insult, but that's not going to stop me, no matter how good it actually is."

"That's as good as you admitting you liked it."

"Well, I think you're both idiots," Natasha said. "And Skye agrees, don't you."

"Er…"

"See, meanie Tasha. It's affectionate insulting again Skye, like with Hunter."

"Is this a sibling thing? It's kind of weird."

"So's Clint," Barney said. "I don't know if it's all siblings, but it's more banter than actually insulting them. But Clint, yes, it was good. We following tradition?"

"Of course."

"What's tradition?" Skye asked.

"Terrible Christmas movie, everyone pile onto the sofa and fall asleep."

"I'll fetch some blankets," Natasha said.

* * *

After, officially, the best Christmas she had ever had, Skye didn't expect anything ever to top it. She was back at SHIELD on the 27th, ready to start missions again.

But Coulson didn't really have anything planned, even bad guys sometimes had a few weeks off it seemed.

They had a mission on the 30th, but it didn't take long, it only took a Bobbi.

Then came New Year's Eve. Nothing had been planned, at least, not until Coulson told them all the dress up smart (thank you Natasha) because they were visiting people.

Skye was fairly sure this wasn't what spies usually did, but it somehow probably stemmed back to Clint and Natasha.

No one really knew where they were going until Stark Tower, now just adorned with an 'A', came into view.

"Coulson," Tony Stark (oh my word, Tony Stark) said. "You're not dead."

"No."

"Where you dead?"

"Four days."

"You owe me an explanation."

"All right."

"And these lot are?"

"Hi Trip," Captain America (no Steve, Clint said Steve, holy motherboard that was Captain America and Iron Man). "Good to see you again."

"Hi Steve."

"Trip!"

"Sharon!"

"Agent Antoine Triplett," Coulson said as Sharon and Trip started talking.

"The one Steve's friends with, got it."

"Clint and Natasha are probably better suited to introducing you to Mack, Hunter and Bobbi."

"Nice to meet you mate. Clint here yet?"

"Somewhere."

"No," Coulson said.

"I didn't even-"

"Bad idea."

"Probably a great idea. But you're the boss."

"What was that about?" Tony Stark asked.

"You don't want to know."

"I'll weasel it out of Legolas later. And these are?"

"Agent Leopold Fitz and Agent Jemma Simmons. Both doctors in fields I can't pronounce, you'll like them."

"It's an honour sir," Simmons said.

"We're all friends here, don't worry about the sir."

"Fitz designed the Mouse Hole devices," Coulson added.

"Well then, thank you," Steve said. "You probably saved my life."

"Erm. Erm. Don't mention it?" Simmons nudged him. "Is that Doctor Banner?"

"Yeah, Bruce is over there with Betty somewhere," Tony Stark said.

"Doctor Ross is here too?"

"And Doctors Selvig and Foster. Coulson, I approve of the science nerds."

"Fitz, don't faint." Skye said.

"And that's Skye."

"Ah yes, the one Legolas and Natasha told me about. Nice to meet you. Have we met before?"

"Erm. I cosplayed outside your tower once."

"Nice. Who'd you go as? Natasha?"

"Erm, Captain America."

"You were a Stevette? Are there pictures?"

"Hi Skye."

"Hi Barney."

"You met everyone else yet or is Stark distracting you?"

"Erm…"

"Come on, Nat was looking for you."

Skye worked her way around the room with Barney, meeting all the Avengers, the Pepper Potts, Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes (Rhodey he insisted), Sam Wilson who might as well be an Avenger and who Clint was introducing to Bobbi (Skye was sure she heard the words 'bird club'), Thor's quartet of science (as Darcy Lewis introduced them anyhow, Doctors Selvig and Foster, Darcy the intern and Ian's the intern's intern as everyone else introduced them), Doctor Betty Ross, Sharon Carter all the way around until they finally found Natasha talking to Maria Hill.

Everyone seemed so at ease with each other, they were all laughing and smiling, Trip and Steve (really, Captain America was in on this?) were trying to get Coulson and May under some mistletoe together and drastically failing, Fitz had been talking enthusiastically to Doctor Banner for at least ten minutes now and he almost seemed like the old Fitz, only forgetting some words, Simmons was discussing biochemistry with Betty Ross the whole room seemed to be full of science. Coulson was confiscating alcohol from Hunter, Bobbi and Natasha, Clint and Sam had engaged in a battle of bird puns, Thor and Barney were talking, just, everyone.

And Skye felt at home. This was what Clint had meant about family, even if he had stolen it from a Disney film. This was her family now. She was Skye Barton and her family was SHIELD, the Avengers and everyone else who came with them.

And life was all the better for it.

* * *

**Author's Note: Ealasaid Una, MarvelAvengers4 and SciFigal63 all asked for more Skye and Clint fics after a short thing I wrote (which can be found as Chapter 8 of _Ficlets from Tumblr _or on said website), so here the three of you go, a whole fic (sorry it took a while)**

**Also AgentMaryMargaretSkitz, for lots of reviews etc, you're lovely too. **

**And everyone else who's ever done anything with one of my nonsense, it's kind of a thanks. **


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